


Selichot

by IShouldBeWriting



Category: Singularity North
Genre: Bonding, British Military, Canon Compliant, Fasting, Gen, Judaism, Military Working Dogs, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Team Bonding, Yom Kippur | Atonement Day, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, סליחות
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2013-04-28
Packaged: 2017-12-09 18:36:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/776684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IShouldBeWriting/pseuds/IShouldBeWriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is both something I wanted to write and a bit by way of explanation for a couple people who asked what Yom Kippur is about.  The title is taken from the <a>traditional Hebrew penitential prayer</a> of the same name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Selichot

It was Rachel who finally asked the captain about their missing EOD expert. Lily hadn’t mentioned taking a personal day and Rachel knew from their time in training together that it was rare for the other woman to become sick enough that she’d call off for the day. 

Refusing to look up from the report she’d been writing when asked, Captain Black simply shrugged her shoulders.

“She’s requested the day off to attend to something.”

Scrutinizing the captain’s body language, Rachel crinkled her nose. Something didn’t add up. As casual as she’d pretended to be, the captain obviously knew more than she was saying and wasn’t comfortable discussing the matter. Biting her lip in thought, Rachel left the office in search of Davis and Osiris.

“Where’s Lil’?” Davis asked.

“Personal day, according to the captain.”

“Riiiigggghhhhttt.” Davis drawled, obviously as disbelieving as Rachel herself.

“Come check the SSSA with me?”

“So long as we’ve got comms and black boxes from Jez. Captain will tan our hides if a singularity comes up while we’re gone.”

Nodding agreement, Rachel followed the dog handler and his black and tan shepherd up to the main hub.

‘We’re going off-site for a bit, Jez.”

Nodding absent-mindedly, the field coordinator fished a log sheet out of her drawer and slapped it down on the desk.

“Sign yourselves out, I’m trying to piece together footage for the Minister’s report.”

Taking advantage of Jez’s preoccupation, the two specialists signed for their kit and disappeared, claiming one of TEAR's vehicles for their errand.

The drive to the SSSA that Rachel and Lily shared with two others was quiet. Unlike some teammates she’d had, Davis never seemed to feel the need to fill silence with inane chatter. It was a trait she appreciated in him, particularly as she continued to puzzle over the possible answers as to their missing third’s whereabouts. 

Upon arrival, Rachel let them both into the shared accommodations, quickly checking the common areas. As she’d expected, there was no sign of Lily’s presence. Hesitant but still curious and slightly concerned, she looked to Davis.

“Check her room?” she asked, expression showing her reticence to intrude on someone else’s private space.

Seeing the look on the MP’s face, Davis smiled gently. 

“Rach, we’ve both been in Lil’s room plenty of times before. I’m sure she won’t mind.”

“Just a quick look then,” Rachel conceded as she twisted the doorknob.

Lily’s room was pin perfect as always, bed made and not so much as a single book out of place. Despite no longer being required to hold to inspectable levels of tidiness, Lily seemed to prefer to keep her space orderly. Rachel had yet to ever see her leave her things strewn about despite having shared accommodations for more than three years between training and assignments.

Head poking around the corner, Davis looked around and would have just as quickly shut the door again had Rachel not stopped him.

“Wait, what’s that smell?” Rachel asked, taking a step into the space.

“It’s...” Davis thought about it for a few moments, turning full circle inside the room as he tried to identify the scent. “It’s a burning candle.”

Looking in the same direction, Rachel could see what she’d missed; a single white candle burned inside a short glass cup sitting on top of a metal tray on the bureau. Positioned beside the doorway, the bureau had been hidden from view when they opened the door. Moving closer, Rachel carefully turned the glass candle holder to see the label.

“It’s in Hebrew,” she explained shortly.

“Helpful,” Davis snorted. “Any chance you know what the hell it’s for?”

“Not a clue, “ Rachel replied. “Hang on though, there’s one bit in English on a separate sticker.”

Crouching down to be on a level with the top of the bureau, Rachel read off the tiny script.

“It’s the name and address of a synagogue.”

“Curiouser and curiouser, eh, Alice?”

Arching an eyebrow at the mangled quotation, Rachel grabbed Osiris gently by the collar and moved back out into the hallway, shutting the door firmly once Davis had followed.

“Admit it, Rachel, you’re just as curious as I am.”

“Yes, but -”

“She’s one of ours, Rach. If we don’t know everything about each other, how could we possibly trust her to guard our backs?”

“Playing dirty, dog-boy, but yes, at the very least, if she ever succeeds in indulging in that death-wish she’s got when it comes to explosives, we should know who to call for last rights.”

Laughing, Davis led the way back out to the truck. Rachel punched the address into the SatNav while Davis got Osiris up and settled onto his pad in the back seat.

Yet again, they drove in silence, both contemplating this previously unknown facet of their comrade. Rachel had lived with Lily for most of three years and religion had never come up before. She knew that the other woman still held dual Israeli/British citizenship and called her grandparents regularly, chattering away in a rapid-fire Hebrew with a native’s ease. But never once had the young blond shown any inclination toward observance of her family’s beliefs.

Pulling up curbside, they saw a small cluster of older girls minding a gaggle of younger children on the steps. Hair down and wearing long shirts and jumpers, they looked quaint, old fashioned. Davis suppressed a twitch at the resemblance they bore to the local girls he’d seen while deployed. Add a head scarf and they could just as easily have passed.

The sound of Rachel popping the door open on her side of the truck drew him out of his contemplation. Checking that the windows were cracked, he gave a quick hand sign to Osiris. _Stay_. The dog whimpered but obeyed, settling back down on the seat to wait for his master’s return.

Skirting a wide berth around the group of playing children, Davis followed Rachel up the stairs and into the building. The sound of many voices lifted in prayer drifted to him through a closed pair of double doors. Cautious and quite, Rachel eased the right-hand door open and slipped inside. 

Following, Davis was surprised to find the space inside packed full of standing congregants, heads bowed in prayer. The litany of prayer rolled over him, slow and sorrowful, the cadence at least feeling familiar and comforting. Some of the older people in the congregation held a closed fist to their chests, tapping occasionally to add a faint percussion. He scanned the crowd, searching for Lily’s familiar blond hair. 

Rachel elbowed him gently in the ribs, pointing off to their left. Looking where she’d indicated, he finally saw her, their missing EOD. Shoulders covered with an ivory shawl they could see Lily, standing among the crowd, head bowed and lips moving as she recited the prayers.

A horn sounded long and loud followed by three quick sharp bursts, making Davis jump at Rachel’s side. Craning to see over the people in front of them, Davis saw the source of the noise as a man at the front of the crowd raised an ancient looking animal’s horn to his lips and blew against it yet again, issuing forth nine short blasts of sound in quick staccato. Davis was about to speak when the man blew one more long drawn out sound from the horn, holding it for longer than he would have thought possible.

The sound hung in the air, raising the hairs on the back of Davis’ neck. Looking around him, he realized something had changed. The expressions on people’s faces were soft, tired smiles shared as families hugged and men shook hands with their fellows.

Like an invisible signal, normal life resumed, men and women chattered as they filed out of their places and moved toward the doors. Waiting patiently, Rachel and Davis fell into step behind Lily as she exited the building.

“Happy holiday, Lil,” Rachel said quietly.

The other woman turned to face them both.

“ _L'Shanah Tovah_ ,” Lily replied, the words sounding like both a greeting and a correction.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Davis asked, sounding confused a little bit hurt at the omission.

“I don’t usually observe,” Lily conceded.

“No, you don’t,” Rachel affirmed. “Why this year?” She asked softly.

“Because my _Savta_ asked it of me. She’s dying. I might not get back to Israel before she passes. Today is Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. On this of all days, how could I deny her?”

“The candle on your dresser?” Davis asked.

Lily nodded,a tear slipping down her cheek which she hastily brushed away. Reaching out to take her hand, Rachel pulled her teammate into a hug.

“So what does one do after Yom Kippur services?”

“Eat.” Lily replied, face breaking into a grin, broad and fragile, as if she’d reached the edge of her limits. “I’m famished. Haven’t had anything to eat or drink since sundown yesterday.”

“I take it fasting is also traditional?” Davis asked.

Lily nodded her reply.

He steered her toward the truck, popping open the door to reveal an eager Osiris awaiting their return. The dog licked Lily’s face before she could back away, drawing a slightly hysterical laugh from her.

“Then by all means,” Davis said, “let us take you out to dinner. Anything you want, it’s my treat.”

“Russian?” Lily asked hopefully as she clambered into the back seat beside the dog.

“Odd request but I’m certain we can find something.”

“It wouldn’t be Yom Kippur without stuffed cabbage, smoked white fish, and honey cake...”


End file.
